1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an absorbent article for absorbing body fluids and exudates, such as urine and fecal material. More particularly, the present invention relates to absorbent garments, such as disposable diapers and adult incontinence garments, which are configured to absorb and contain body exudates and prevent leakage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional absorbent articles, such as disposable diapers, employ absorbent materials located between a liquid pervious topsheet and a liquid impermeable backsheet to absorb body exudates. Such conventional absorbent articles have typically included elasticized waistbands and leg cuffs to help reduce the leakage of body exudates. Some conventional absorbent articles have also included elasticized containment or barrier flaps at the leg or waist sections of the article to further reduce leaks.
However, conventional absorbent articles which incorporate containment flaps at their waist sections have not been completely satisfactory. For example, it has been difficult to maintain the desired operation of the waist flap when the articles are being worn. To achieve a better fit, the waist flaps incorporated on conventional absorbent articles have typically been elasticized across the entire width or at least the central portion of the waist flap. However, it still has been difficult to maintain contact between the free edge of the waist flap and the wearer's body and reliably hold the flap open for an effective receipt and containment of urine and feces. This is particularly true across the back waist region of the absorbent article due to the typical configuration of the wearer's lower back region which is generally referred to as the small of the back. For example, the back of the wearer is typically concave or flat and, as such, it has been difficult to maintain contact with such a region.
Moreover, since the absorbent article is typically fastened upon the wearer when the wearer is lying on their back and on the back portion of the absorbent article, it has been difficult to correctly elongate and position any type of a back waist flap on the initial fastening of the absorbent article to the wearer. Such difficulties encountered in obtaining the optimum fit of the back waist flap about the wearer have undesirably resulted in increased leakage. As a result, conventional absorbent articles having back waist flaps have not been completely satisfactory. Accordingly, there remains a need for improved containment at the waist sections and, in particular, at the back waist section, of absorbent articles.